Field
The present disclosure generally relates to endoscopes, and more particularly to an endoscope and to a method for assembling an endoscope.
Prior Art
Endoscopes are used to observe a field of view, to which access is typically only enabled through a small opening. The endoscope has an endoscope optic with a lens. The endoscope optic can be formed as a separate component of the endoscope and inserted into the endoscope. In endoscopes, optical fibers are used to illuminate the field of view. For this purpose, a bundle of many optical fibers, i.e. a fiber bundle, is typically used to provide a sufficient light intensity. The fibers radiate the light at its end region in a relatively wide range of angles. Nevertheless, all fibers should preferably be oriented with their (main) beam direction towards the field of view. Other fibers provide disturbing brightness variations in the field of view. The fibers receive their appropriate orientation during the assembly of the endoscope optics. For sealing and fixing their orientation, the fibers at the distal end region are bonded with an adhesive and then polished.
DE 10 2004 023024 B4 introduces an obliquely-viewing endoscope with an endoscope optic which has a lens that is directed angled downward towards the longitudinal axis of the endoscope optic axis. In such endoscope optics, optical fibers are arranged laterally next to the actual optics and above. The laterally arranged fibers are oriented parallel to the viewing direction of the lens looking obliquely downward. The upper fiber bundle extends on the other hand parallel to the longitudinal extension of the endoscope optics. The optic fibers are arranged between an outer casing tube or outer tube and an inner fiber tube. The fiber tube contains inside the actual optics with the distal lens obliquely looking downward. Recesses are provided on the outer region of the fiber tube to orient the optical fibers and fix them in their position. The optical fibers are inserted into these recesses, before the outer tube is then pulled over the distal end region of the endoscope optics. The optical fibers are pressed and oriented through the outer tube into the recesses of the fiber tube. Then the optical fibers at the end region of the endoscope optics can be bonded together, cut and polished on the end face.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,342 introduces an endoscope optic in which a fiber channel is provided between the fiber tube and outer tube, which enables an orientation of the ends of the optical fibers in the end region through assembling the outer tube and fiber tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,147 also relates to an endoscope optic in which an orientation through formation of a fiber channel between an inner fiber tube and an outer tube is only achieved upon assembly of the endoscope optic.
A disadvantage of the known endoscope optics is that the final orientation of the optical fibers is only set with the final positioning of the outer tube as casing of the fiber tube. The assembly is therefore very complex and is to be performed manually.